Body-image (extended)

We were not born

judging or praising

our bodies.

They're no more than 

a tool.

They help us create and perform

our duties and dreams.

But they are not

the duty we must fulfil;

or the dream we aspire to.

So why do we post pictures?

Labelling what could be

a healthy, confident, beautiful being

as something you've overcome;

escaped from.

And what is the magnificent replacement?

All I see in before and after

is exquisite vulnerabilities

masked with excessive pride.

How much more do I admire

the one who shares the

depth of their mind;

who truly changes me?

I was never changed

for the better

by seeing a fixation

on what's superficial.

And we are all still

those impressionable 6-year-olds

playing dress up;

trying to belong,

absorbing our role-models'

success or survival tactics 

and too many are inspired

to be remembered

not by stories

but photographs.

Author's Note

Where all your lovely comments led me. Somewhere I wasn't originally expecting.

Reviews

[Charlotte]

This is an amazing insight into the fact that we should all love our body's and that they are merely something here for us to use. That they don't need to be suffocated into the image we're trying to perceive or starved to fit your new jeans. As well as the fact that our society is all to focused or trying to be perfect that amazing people are missed out of the eye of the public because they don't fit our ideals. All that said, this was an amazing poem

[Emma]

Thank you very much for reviewing, looks like you've got the start of your own poem in this review

[Alfred Kukitz]

I found in the tone of your piece a beauty and maturity that caressed my eyes. I'm glad we are friends and I will enjoy sharing our souls with each other.

[Emma]

Thanks you I'm looking forward to reading your poetry too x

[lightsong]

Hi again my lovely friend :)

This time You've expanded it to go with more depths and speak about more than situation, I see here those shallow people, dolls with no brains, I very much love this from You, because I feel like that too,

"How much more do I admire
the one who shares the
depth of their mind"

Oh! please I can't go into conversation with closed minds and "stupid" people! unfortunately, this generation (and most society too) care the most bout their appearance and the superficial things, oh not to forget the selfies too lol, to be Young Your age, have these treasure thoughts and awareness is something great, I applaud You high my friend, it's really wonderful to see You addressing these kind of subjects, by the way You do have a lovely face :)

[Emma]

Thank you for all your reviews. I feel that far too often people are just to scared to reveal more of themselves and see it as safer to hide behind their appearance and hope to be judged on that, it's when people open up without fear of rejection that a true understanding and friendship can be created.....unless their off made in chelsea then I'm afraid there might be nothing going on behind

[Lorry]

This is pretty damn awesome, as a stand alone piece, as well as with the first piece.
obsessive aspect of the piece really jumped out at me, a bit like when you are told something you know you should have figured out long ago.
That led me to think of all the other obsessions we have, whose only function seems to be to mask our unhappiness, our our flaws. We never quite notice others flaws as easily as our own, unfortunately.

Thought provoking write, perfectly executed.

[Emma]

Thank you for reading. It certainly does become obsessions, and what I think is awful is when it goes past being an individuals and becomes what everyone prioritises and almost becomes instinctive to ask what someone looks like rather than who they are.